Feeler gauge



Oct. 13, 1953 l.. A. GRANT 2,654,957

EEELER GAUGE med sept. 29, 195o INVENATOR. /fz' f4'. 6AM/v7 Patented Oct. 13, "1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEELER GAUGE Lee A. Grant, Flint, Mich.

Application September 2.9, 1950, Serial No. 187,382

6 Claims.

This invention relates to -a feeler gauge and more particularly to a device for holding a pair of feeler stock strips.

It is an object of this invention to produce a simply constructed device for holding two different sizes of feeler stock strips with the ends of the strips projecting in opposite directions so that the device may be employed in conjunction `with the feeler strips as a go and no-go gauge.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a top elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is a section `along the line 3 3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of an end portion of the device on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the device.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 there is illustrated the device of my invention which generally comprises a pair of similarly shaped and oppositely positioned brackets IIJ and I2 which are employed for holding together two strips of feeler stock I4 and IB. As is shown more clearly in Fig. 5, each of the brackets I0 and I2 is formed from an elongate strap preferably of a resilient material, such as spring steel. The straps l and I2 `are bent adjacent each end thereof to provide end portions 2U which are substantially flat and offset from the plane of the central portion 22 of the straps. The end portions 20 are integrally connected with the central portion 22 by shoulder portions I8. The central portion 22 is relatively long as compared to the end portions 20.

Brackets I0 and I2 are arranged together, as is illustrated in Fig. 1, with their offset end portions 20 overlying one another and with their central portions 22 spaced apart. A pair of co1- lars 24 of rectangular shape encircles the portions 22 of brackets I0 and I2. Collars 24 are somewhat shorter in height than the spacing between the central portions 22 of brackets IU and I2 so that the collars maintain the brackets in a bowed position. Collars 24 engage the portions 22 of brackets I0 and I2 rather snugly but are slidable longitudinally thereon from the dotted position to the full line position shown in Fig. 1. It will be observed that, when the brackets and collars are arranged in this position, the end portions 20 of each bracket cooperate with the end portions of the other bracket to provide a pair of jaws at each end of the brackets for gripping the feeler stock strips I4 and I6.

The feeler stock strips are arranged between brackets I0 vand I2 with the operative end 26 of strip I4 projecting outwardly beyond one end of the brackets and the operative end 28 of feeler strip I6 projecting outwardly beyond the other end of the brackets. Brackets I0 and I2 are shorter in length than strips I4 and I6, and the opposite ends of said feeler strips are arranged to be engaged by the olset ends 20 of the brackets so that, between each opposing set of offset ends 20, there is arranged the extreme end of one feeler strip and the opposite operative end of the other feeler strip.

With the above arrangement, it will be seen that two diierent sizes of feeler gauge stock may be inserted within the holder projecting from opposite ends thereof so that the device may be used as a go and a no-go gauge. The feeler strips will be selected such that one corresponds to the upper dimensional tolerance of the work piece being gaug-ed and the other the lower dimensional tolerance. With the collars 24 positioned at the center of brackets l0 and I2, the two strips of feeler stock may be inserted endwise between the offset ends of the brackets and arranged as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thereafter, the collars 24 may be shifted from the broken line to the full line position illustrated in Fig. 1 to ex the central portions 22 of each bracket from the contour shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 to the contour shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. This serves to substantially increase the clamping pressure of the offset ends 20 against the engaged portions of the feeler strips and, in this manner, the feeler strips are securely but removably held by the brackets. The device may then be conveniently used by gauging the work piece with one feeler strip and then turning the device end for end and gauging with the other feeler strip.

When it is desired to gauge a different dimension, the collars 24 are shifted back to the center position illustrated in Fig. l. This releases the clamping pressure between the end portions 2t and enables removal of the feeler strips i4- and I6 and replacement with another set of feeler strips of the desired thickness.

The collars 24 are preferably tapered in a longitudinal direction as at 30 so that a substantial portion of the collar faces are in frictional contact with the bowed brackets.

I claim:

1. A holder for feeler gauges comprising a pair of separate elongate metal straps of shorter length than the feeler gauges to be held thereby, each of said straps having free opposite ends, at least one of said straps being flexible and having each end thereof offset in the same direction from the plane of said strap to provide gripping members at opposite ends thereof, the portion of said last mentioned strap between said gripping members comprising a resilient metal strip which is substantially at in the unstressed condition, said other strap also having a substantially flat central portion when in the unstressed condition, said straps being juxtaposed with said oiset end portions of said one strap overlying the free ends of the other strap and with the central portions of said straps .spaced apart, and a pair of collars encircling said straps arid slidable longitudinally thereon, said collars being dimensioned to retain said strap with said offset ends in a position bowed inwardly in its central portion towards the other strap, said collars being shiftable on said strap toward the opposite ends thereof to vary the clamping pressure of said offset ends against the free ends of said other strap, thejuxtaposed free ends of said straps being separable to enable positioning a pair of feeler gauges between said straps with one gauge projecting outwardly from between one set of juxtaposed ends and the other feeler gauge projecting outwardly from between the other set f juxtaposed ends.

2. The combination set forth in claim l wherein said strap with said oi'set ends is formed of spring steel.

3. A holder for fiat strip feeler gauges comprising a pair of separate elongate exible strap members formed of resilient material, said strap members being substantially fiat when in the unstressed condition an'deach having opposite free end portions offset from the plane of the strap vin the saine direction, said straps being of equal length and being' shorter than the feeler gauges which said holder is adapted to retain, said straps being juxtaposed with the offset free end portions of one strap overlying the offset end portions of the other strap and withv the central portions of said straps between said oiTset ends spaced apart outwardly of said end portions, and a pair of rectangularly shapedcollars slidably arranged on said straps, said collars having a width corresponding to the wid-th of said straps and encircling said straps su'ch that the spaced apart portions of said straps are bowed inwardly toward each other to produce a clamping pressure between the overlying free end portions of said straps, said collars being slidable towards the opposite ends of said straps to increase the clamping pressure between said overlying end portions, Athe juxtaposed free ends ofsaid straps being separable to enable positioning a pair of feeler gauges between said straps with one gauge projecting :outwardly from between one set of juxtaposed lends and the other feeler gauge projecting outwardly from between the other set of juxtaposed ends.

4. A feeler gauge assemblyV comprising a pair of ieeler stock strips of substantially equal length positioned one hat upon the other' with the end 4of one strip overhanging the corresponding end of the other strip and with the opposite end of the last mentioned strip overhanging' the corresponding end of the iirst mentioned strip, a pair of hat elongate brackets on opposite sides or said pair of feeler stock strips, said brackets being of shorter length than said strips and being positioned such that their ends overlie overlapping portions of said pair of feeler stock strips, at least one of said brackets being resilient and having each end thereof offset from the plane of said bracket in a direction toward said pair of feeler stock strips, said last mentioned bracket having its offset endVV portions engaging the exposed face of oneof said feeler stock strips, the ends of said other bracket engaging the exposed face of the other feeler stock strip, and a pair of collars encircling said brackets, said collars having a dimension less than the distance between the central portions of said brackets when in the unstressed condition such that said collars retain said bracket having said offset ends in a position bowed inwardly towards the other bracket and being slidable toward said offset ends to securely clamp said strips between said offset ends and said other bracket.

5. A feeler gauge assembly comprising a pair of feeler stock strips positioned one upon the other, said strips being arranged with one end of each strip overhanging the opposite end of the other strip, a pair of brackets arranged on opposite sides of said pair of strips, said brackets being formed of a fiat resilient strap material and each having the opposite ends thereof offset toward said strips of feeler stock, the portions of said brackets between said offset ends being spaced from said strips, and a pair of collars encircling said brackets, said collars having a dimension less than the distance between the central portions of said brackets when in the unstressed condition such that said collars maintain said brackets in a position bowed inwardly toward each other and being slidable on said brackets towards opposite ends thereof to securely clamp the overlying portions of said strips between said offset ends.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said collars each denes a rectangularly shaped passageway, the opposite faces of said collars engaging the fiat portions of s'aid brackets being inclined towards each other in a direction away from the offset ends of said brackets whereby said collars tend to establish coplanar engagement with the inwardly bowed portions of said brackets.

A. GRANT.

References Cited in the file ofl this patent NrrED STATES PATENTS 

